Once Upon a Time 6 - Fantasy books galore

It's here!  It's here!  All year long I wait for this challenge.  Carl's Once Upon a Time has been an annual challenge for 5 years now.  This is the 6th year and I have been storing up books for it all year.  It begins on the spring solstice, which means I am a few days late for signing up.  I have been sick all weekend, and have gotten myself to the computer to sign up, before I go away again.

This is how Carl describes his challenge this year:. "This is a reading and viewing event that encompasses four broad categories: Fairy Tale, Folklore, Fantasy and Mythology, including the seemingly countless sub-genres and blending of genres that fall within this spectrum. The challenge continues through Tuesday, June 19th and allows for very minor (1 book only) participation as well as more immersion depending on your reading/viewing whims.
Come away, and I’ll tell you more…"

“I felt a curious thrill, as if something had stirred in me, half wakened from sleep. There was something very remote and strange and beautiful behind those words, if I could grasp it, far beyond ancient English.”
~J.R.R. Tolkien, on reading the Cynewulf lines about the star Earendel

Now, for the particulars:
The Once Upon a Time VI Challenge has a few rules:

Rule #1: Have fun.
Rule #2: HAVE FUN.
Rule #3: Don’t keep the fun to yourself, share it with us, please!
Rule #4: Do not be put off by the word “challenge”.

While this event retains the word “challenge” from its earliest days, the entire goal is to read good books, watch good television shows and movies, and most importantly, visit old friends and make new ones.

 I had to include the Tolkien quote. I love it, and it is the exact reason why I read fantasy.  It was tolkien that I first felt this thrill with also.  And even though it will open much too late to include for this challenge, I am eagerly awaiting the opening of The Hobbit next Christmas.  Who knows?  we could go see the movie in the theatres next year for this challenge!  Now that would be something to experience!

I am going to partake of Quest the Third:
 Fulfill the requirements for The Journey or Quest the First or Quest the Second AND top it off with a June reading of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream OR a viewing of one of the many theatrical versions of the play. Love the story, love the films, love the idea of that magical night of the year and so this is my chance to promote the enjoyment of this farcical love story.

You can sign up any time, and here is the link. 

My books for Carl's Once Upon a Time 6 Challenge (click on the photo to enlarge)

 

 And I know you are going to laugh, but I have already added five other books from my shelves that I had wanted to read also:*

Green Angel - Alice Hoffman
The Uncertain Places - Lisa Goldstein
First Rider's Call - Kristen Britain
Faerie Tale - Raymond Feist
Dragonflight - Anne McCaffrey

This is such a a wonderful challenge, and it is lovely to have two months of fantasy to look forward to reading.

Isn't this little fox also lovely?

*edited to add:  this brings this year's total to 29.  No wait, I forgot to add Snow White, Rose Red, the short story fairy anthology by Terri Windling and Ellen Datlow.  30 books?!  half the fun is choosing them , my Gentle Readers, and if I read half of them, that will be a successful two months of fantasy reading. I want to read them all, of course.....